Zoonosis Control Specialists are key professionals focused on the prevention and management of diseases that are transmitted between animals and humans. These include both longstanding threats like rabies, brucellosis, and leptospirosis, as well as emerging infections such as avian influenza, Nipah virus, and novel coronaviruses. Their work centers on identifying the environmental, behavioral, and ecological factors that drive zoonotic transmission. They collaborate with veterinarians, epidemiologists, ecologists, and public health officials to design surveillance systems, conduct field investigations, and implement targeted interventions to reduce human-animal disease transmission.
In the field, they monitor wildlife and livestock health, promote biosecurity in farms and markets, and support vaccination campaigns and safe animal husbandry practices. Zoonosis Control Specialists are vital contributors to One Health initiatives, integrating human, animal, and environmental health to form unified disease prevention strategies. They also play a key role in educating communities about the risks of close human-animal contact and how to prevent infection. Their expertise is critical in mitigating spillover events, especially in regions where rapid urbanization and environmental disruption increase disease risk. Through science-based interventions and global collaboration, Zoonosis Control Specialists help protect both public and animal health while reducing the likelihood of future pandemics. Their ongoing efforts are shaping resilient health systems capable of detecting and responding to zoonotic threats swiftly.
Title : Extensively drug-resistant bacterial infections: Confronting a global crisis with urgent solutions in prevention, surveillance, and treatment
Yazdan Mirzanejad, University of British Columbia, Canada